PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rashad Koch (ranked 5393 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steve Franks (ranked 5649 p4p, 522 weight class). Steve Franks has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Koch
vs
Franks

193 cm
24
194 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

187 cm
25
187 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Rashad Koch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Steve Franks!
The judges for this bout are Micheangelo Fripello, Chris Saunders and Roger Salmon.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Franks fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Koch sprawls well initially but Franks persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Franks thows a huge punch but Koch dodges it nicely.

Koch with the active half guard here but Franks passes nicely into side control.
Franks throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Koch is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Franks looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Koch is avoiding damage well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Koch trying to remain calm as Franks controls from the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koch tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Franks wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Franks swings around for an armbar but Koch sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Franks's guard.
Franks looking to control.

Koch gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Franks looking to score a takedown here. Koch is defending well but Franks drives through and ends up in Koch's guard.
Koch trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Franks accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Franks engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Let's hope that Franks has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Franks gets to his feet. Koch looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Franks shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Franks advances position into side control!
Koch is trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Franks trying to control the action but Koch is working from the bottom.
Koch tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
Franks is looking to control Koch but Koch is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Koch looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Will Franks go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Koch is trying to get back to his feet but Franks has full control of the position and if anything, Koch has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Koch just trying to survive but Franks is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Franks has the hooks in. Koch is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Franks dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Franks clinches up against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Koch fails to land.

Franks's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Franks instigates a clinch.
Koch tries to land knees in the clinch but Franks avoids the damage to the body.

Franks breaks the clinch.

Franks closes the distance and pushes Koch back into the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Koch pressing his opponent against the cage.
Franks is defending well against a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Franks has clasped his hands together around Koch's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Koch tries to buck Franks off but Franks is having none of it.
Franks controls the position.
Koch is looking for a sweep.
Franks creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Koch sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Koch struggling a bit here.
Koch trying to remain calm as Franks controls from the top position.
Franks tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koch is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Franks stands up.
Koch shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Franks sprawls well. Franks wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Koch gets slowly back to his feet.
Franks throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
An attempted straight right counter from Koch misses the target.

Franks has taken the fight to the clinch.
Koch tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Franks smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rashad Koch. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Franks moves into the clinch successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Franks pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Franks has taken the fight to the clinch.
Koch stalling.
Koch stalls.
Franks has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Franks breaks the clinch.

Franks closes the distance and clinches.
Koch is stalling here.
Koch tries to pull guard but Franks forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Koch wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Franks jumps guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Franks wants to sweep here but Koch controlling him for the moment.
Franks is still trying to improve position.
Franks working a defensive guard but Koch passes into half guard.
Franks wants to get back to full guard.
Franks gets full guard.
Koch won't allow Franks to sweep him here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Franks lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Koch bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Franks's guard.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Franks showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Franks connects with a high kick.

It looks like Rashad Koch has been cut.
Koch shoots in for a takedown but Franks shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Koch swings for the body but Franks moves out of range.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Koch enables Franks to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Koch manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Franks trying to control the position from guard on top but Koch is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Franks advances to half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Franks controlling the action here.
Franks tries to pass the half guard into mount. Koch knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koch trying to control here.
Franks trying to control the action but Koch is working from the bottom.
Franks is stalling here. Koch is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Franks seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Koch has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Franks is trying to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Franks is trying to work for a sweep but Koch has mounted him!
Franks gets back to half guard.
Franks wants to control but Koch is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Franks is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Koch jumps into side control!
Franks sneaks back into half guard.
Franks takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Koch gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

Franks has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

Franks breaks the clinch.

Franks drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Koch is looking to regain half guard here but Franks keeps moving and retains side control.
Koch gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koch tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Steve Franks is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Koch looks like he's trying to stand up.
Koch wants to get back to full guard.
Franks trying to control the pace.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steve Franks comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Franks has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 28:29
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steve Franks!